It is common practice, during handling of seismic data obtained by a VSP type method by means of multi-axis receivers for example, to process one of the components, generally the vertical component. Examples of mono-component processing of seismic data are notably described by:
Hardage B.; "Vertical Seismic Profiling", in Geophysical Press Vol.14, 1983, or PA1 Mari J. L. et al.; "Seismic Well Surveying", 1991. Editions Technip, Paris. PA1 the reflection point that has reflected the ray, as well as the dip and the azimuth, of the plane tangent to the reflecting surface at the reflection point, PA1 the scatterer acting as a secondary re-emission source, and PA1 the fault plane which generates a secondary refraction.
It is also well-known to take into account the polarization of direct waves, either for reorientation of the components or for the study of salt diapir neighbourhoods.
However, this conventional limitation to only one of the components leads to a certain uncertainty in the positioning of geologic events, which cannot be removed. Inversion of times only leads to a multiplicity of solutions, since the azimuthal direction of dip of the reflectors is unknown. Furthermore, when two seismic events occur at the same time with close apparent velocities and appear on several consecutive subsurface traces (6 to 12 for example), one can readily find that it is almost impossible to separate them by means of conventional mono-component processing.